Treadmill running position stabilizing method and device

ABSTRACT

A treadmill running position stabilizing method includes a treadmill with a running platform and a frame extending upwardly from a front end of the running platform. A strap is extended around a person on the treadmill and is attached to the frame such that the strap loosely engages the person. In this manner the person is loosely held in place on the treadmill.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to personal positioning device and moreparticularly pertains to a new personal positioning device for providinga person running on a treadmill with tactile feedback as to theirposition on the treadmill. This will retain the person a proper distancefrom a front kick plate of the treadmill.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to personal positioning devices such as harnessdevices and the like that assist a person in being properly positionedduring a particular activity.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising the providing of a treadmill that includes arunning platform and a frame extending upwardly from a front end of therunning platform. A strap is extended around a person on the treadmilland is attached to the frame such that the strap loosely engages theperson. In this manner the person is loosely held in place on thetreadmill.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a treadmill running positionstabilizing method and device according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front broken view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a rear broken view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through5 thereof, a new personal positioning device embodying the principlesand concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designatedby the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the treadmill running positionstabilizing method and device 10 generally comprises providing atreadmill 12 having a running platform 14 and a frame 16 extendingupwardly from a front end of the running platform 14. The treadmill 12is a conventional treadmill such as those which includes a continuousbelt positioned on a ramp wherein the belt is rotated around the ramp toprovide a running surface of a user thereof. The frame 16 typicallyincludes one or more posts having an apex on top of which is mounted adisplay 18 and control. Such devices are ubiquitous in the personalfitness industry. Nearly all treadmills 12 further include a frame 16having hand gripping features, i.e. handle(s) 20. These may bepositioned adjacent to the display 18 and may also or alternativelypositioned lateral to the running platform 14.

The method further includes extending a strap 30 around a person 24positioned on the treadmill 12 and attaching the strap 30 to the frame16 such that the strap 30 loosely engages the person 24. The strap 30 ismade of conventional strap material, such as nylon or other similarmaterial, and has a first end 32 and a second end 34 each engaged withthe frame 16. More particularly, the first 32 and second 34 ends may beengaged with the handle(s) 20 so that the strap 30 extends rearward ofthe frame 16. The strap 30 extends around only a portion of the person24 such that the strap 30 abuts a backside of the person 24. That is,the strap 30 is not wound completely around the person 24 but only restson their backside, such as adjacent to a lower back area of the person24 and along their sides. Thus, should the person fall, the strap 30will not hold the person 24 on the treadmill 12.

The strap 30 may have an adjustable length and may further include apocket 36 for receiving a free end 38 of the strap 30 which is loose andused to adjust the length of the strap 30. A conventional slip buckle 40may be used, for example, though any conventional structure used toadjust a length of a strap or belt may be utilized. The strap 30 willhave a greatest length between 5.0 feet and 10.0 feet from the first end32 to the second end 34 and a width equal to between 0.25 inches and 2.0inches.

Each of the first 32 and second 34 ends comprising loops 42 that arereleasably engaged to the frame 12. Each of the loops 42 may beremovable from a remaining portion of the strap 30 as is shown inFIG. 1. The loops 42 may be permanently closed loops 42 or may include aconnectable break for allowing the loops 42 to be opened. Depending onthe type of frame 16 being used, the loops 42 may be more permanentlysecured to the frame 16 wherein the ability to remove the loops 42 froma remaining portion of the strap 30 would be advantageous.

The strap 30 may further include a first portion 44 and a second portion46 releasably attached together by a coupler 48. This allows the strap30 to be opened up to allow the person 24 to uncouple themselves fromthe strap 30 without bending down to move the strap 30 over their head.Additionally, such a structure provides the person 24 with anopportunity to swap different straps, such as those which may includedifferent padding located at central area of the strap, to change strapportions 44, 46 having different length, or to allow padding to be slidonto or off of the strap 30. The coupler 48 may also act as a safetyrelease and will typically be positioned less than 12.0 inches from thefirst end 32.

In use, the strap 30 is attached to the frame 16 as indicated above andtypically the coupler 48 is opened to allow a person to step onto thetreadmill 12 and then close the coupler 48 so that the strap 30 abutsthe backside of the person 24. The person 24 then adjusts a length ofthe strap 30 to place the person at a selected distance from the frame16. When the person 24 then begins to run, the strap 30 will providethem feedback as to their position on the treadmill 12 to prevent themfrom moving laterally on the treadmill 12, to far rearwardly or too neara front kick plate 22.

Additionally, the device 10 may be provided as a kit including measuringband 50 that the person 24 may place on their waist to help measuretheir progress as they tone their midsection. The measuring band 50includes a hook and loop connector 52 to retain the band 50 in positionwhile providing measuring indicia 54 indicating the circumference of theperson's waist.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. A method for improving stability on a treadmill comprising the steps of: providing a treadmill having a running platform and a frame extending upwardly from a front end of the running platform; and extending a strap around a person on the treadmill and attaching the strap to the frame such that the strap loosely engages the person.
 2. The method for improving stability on a treadmill according to claim 1, wherein the step of extending the strap around a person further includes the strap having a first end and a second end each engaged with the frame wherein the strap extends around only a portion of the person such that the strap abuts a backside of the person.
 3. The method for improving stability on a treadmill according to claim 2, further including: wherein the step of extending the strap around a person further includes the strap having an adjustable length; and adjusting a length of the strap to place the person at a selected distance from the frame.
 4. The method for improving stability on a treadmill according to claim 2, wherein the step of extending the strap around a person further includes each of the first and second ends comprising loops being releasably engaged to the frame, each of the loops being removable from a remaining portion of the strap.
 5. The method for improving stability on a treadmill according to claim 2, wherein the step of extending the strap around a person further includes the strap having a first portion and a second portion releasably attached together by a coupler.
 6. A method for improving stability on a treadmill comprising the steps of: providing a treadmill having a running platform and a frame extending upwardly from a front end of the running platform; extending a strap around a person on the treadmill and attaching the strap to the frame such that the strap loosely engages the person, the strap having a first end and a second end each engaged with the frame wherein the strap extends around only a portion of the person such that the strap abuts a backside of the person, the strap having an adjustable length, each of the first and second ends comprising loops being releasably engaged to the frame, each of the loops being removable from a remaining portion of the strap, the strap including a first portion and a second portion releasably attached together by a coupler; and adjusting a length of the strap to place the person at a selected distance from the frame. 